The Story
At turns lyrical, ironic, and sympathetic, Mario Filhos chronicle of the beautiful game is a classic of Brazilian sports writing. Filho (19081966)a famous Brazilian journalist after whom Rios Maracana stadium is officially namedtells the Brazilian soccer story as a boundarybusting one of race relations, popular culture, and national identity. Now in English for the first time, the book highlights national debates about the inclusion of Africandescended people in the body politic and situates early black footballers as key creators of Brazilian culture.When first introduced to Brazil by British expatriots at the end of the nineteenth century, the game was reserved for elites, excluding poor, workingclass, and black Brazilians. Filho, drawing on lively indepth interviews with coaches, players, and fans, points to the 1920s and 1930s as watershed decades when the gates cracked open. The poor players and players of color entered the game despite virulent discrimination. By the mid1960s, Brazil had established itself as a global soccer powerhouse, winning two World Cups with the help of star AfroBrazilians such as Pele and Garrincha. As a story of sport and racism in the worlds most popular sport, this book could not be more relevant today.
Description
At turns lyrical, ironic, and sympathetic, Mario Filhos chronicle of the beautiful game is a classic of Brazilian sports writing. Filho (19081966)a famous Brazilian journalist after whom Rios Maracana stadium is officially namedtells the Brazilian soccer story as a boundarybusting one of race relations, popular culture, and national identity. Now in English for the first time, the book highlights national debates about the inclusion of Africandescended people in the body politic and situates early black footballers as key creators of Brazilian culture.When first introduced to Brazil by British expatriots at the end of the nineteenth century, the game was reserved for elites, excluding poor, workingclass, and black Brazilians. Filho, drawing on lively indepth interviews with coaches, players, and fans, points to the 1920s and 1930s as watershed decades when the gates cracked open. The poor players and players of color entered the game despite virulent discrimination. By the mid1960s, Brazil had established itself as a global soccer powerhouse, winning two World Cups with the help of star AfroBrazilians such as Pele and Garrincha. As a story of sport and racism in the worlds most popular sport, this book could not be more relevant today.
